Dean of the Faculty Ed Berger, who will chair the Dean of the College Search Committee, has begun to conduct interviews as he prepares to select the two student representatives who will round out the committee.
The Committee, which will also include three administrators, three faculty members and Student Assembly President Frode Eilertsen '99, is charged with finding a replacement for Dean of the College Lee Pelton.
Pelton is stepping down after Commencement to assume the presidency of Willamette University in Salem, Ore.
The Assembly's Membership and Internal Affairs Committee chose six nominees from a group of 40 applicants two weeks ago and presented the list to College President James Freedman on Monday, Jan. 26.
Berger may select from just five of the nominees if a member of the senior class the Assembly listed is not considered.
Assembly Vice President Nahoko Kawakyu '99, who chairs the MIAC, said Berger wrote to her in an e-mail message that Freedman decided not to use seniors because the process will not be completed until May or June at the earliest.
But Kawakyu said Berger wrote later that he will still be interviewing the senior nominee in case they decide to move quickly and complete the search before summer.
The senior nominee has not been contacted for an interview by Berger's office.
Kawakyu said the other nominees have all been contacted to set up interviews.
Freedman initially said he planned to interview the six nominees, but added he might include Berger in the selection process since Berger would eventually be working with the students.
In an e-mail message to The Dartmouth Wednesday, Berger wrote that he could not speculate as to why Freedman decided not to take part in the interview process.
Berger also wrote that he has already met with two of the nominees, and is currently scheduling interviews with the others for next week.
During the last dean of the College search, in 1991, the Assembly nominated four candidates for the search committee, but Freedman picked another student, who was not on the Assembly's list.
Freedman later added one of the Assembly's nominees to the committee.
Freedman said last Monday the administration and faculty representatives have already been chosen and have accepted the positions, but their names will not be released until the final two students are chosen -- finalizing the make-up of the 10-member committee.
